We all have "special needs," it is just that some are more evident than others. As a society, we are to meet the needs of all citizens in a reasonable manner. This issue is particularly important with children in our schools. In recent years, there has been a shift towards tailoring education to meet the specific needs of individual children, with advancements such as IEPs (Individualized Education Programs). This is definitely a step in the right direction.
Some people do not like such changes in how things are done, using the argument that to treat people differently is unfair and everyone should get the same treatment. To begin with, equal treatment does not necessarily mean the same treatment. You would not make the same meal for an infant and a grown adult, and I'm sure you wouldn't consider this unfair. It would actually be unfair to make them the same meal (same treatment would not be equal, or fair treatment). Taking this example to a school setting, if one student is having vision problems requiring eyeglasses, does that mean every student should get eyeglasses regardless of their vision? Or should none of the students, including the one with vision problems, get glasses to make sure everyone is treated the "same"? Taken a step further, if one student begins choking on his snack, should the teacher not perform the Heimlich maneuver on that child because they can't perform it on every child? Of course this is an extreme example, but I believe it illustrates the importance of recognizing the unique needs of each child and meeting those specific needs.
Meeting the needs of our children is not a matter of life or death, but it is a matter of happiness or sadness, success or failure, self-confidence or self-doubt. At the end of the day, the goal of individualized treatment is to treat everyone the same; everyone is treated in a way that meets their needs and causes them the least pain and suffering. And that's as fair as it gets.
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